Folding armrest for seats



Jan. 17, 1933. A, E, EHMAN 1,894,621

FOLDING ARMREST FR SEATS Fiied Aug. 28, 1929 jfw 5. 619ml Patented Jan. 17, 1933 UNETD PATENT GFFICE ARTHUR E. LEHMAN, 0F ST. CHARLES, iSSO'It, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAR AND FOUNDRY COMPANY, 0F NEVI YORK, Y., A CORPOBATON GF NEEV JERSEY FOLDING ARME-EST FCR SEATS Application led August 28, 1929. Serial No. 388,946.

rlhis invention relates to a folding arm rest for seats, and more particularly to an arm rest for railway car seats, and it is an object of this invention to provide a folding arm rest which can be readily operated to a position in which it can be used as an arm rest and in which position it serves as a barn rier or division between individual seats.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a folding arm rest which can be readily operated to a position in which it forms substantially a part of the seat baclr and in no way interferes with the occupants of the seat.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a folding arm rest of simple construction, which can be readily manufactured., which can be easily operated and which will remain fined in adjusted positions.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear more fully hereinafter', the invention consists substantially in the construction, combination, location and relative arrangement of the parts, all as will be more fully herein set forth, as shown in the accompanying drawing and nally pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a railway car seat having a folding arm rest constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section of the arm rest shown in Fig. l, the arm rest being shown raised to its position for use;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken as on line 8 3 ofFig. 2;

Figs. 4L and 5 are vertical and horizontal sections taken as on lines fle-4 and 5-5, respectively, of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the arm rest folded to its position when not in use.

ln the drawing an arm rest constructed in accordance with this invention is shown applied to a railway car seat having a base or pedestal l and a seat body 2, the seat body comprising bach cushions 3 and seat cushions 4. The back lcushions are supported by a frame of usual or desired construction, the

cushions being separated y a central frame member 6 which extends to and is secured to the central member 8 of the seat cushion frame. The joint between the two members 6 and 8 is reinforced by a metal brace l() secured to the frame members by screws 11. rl`he frame member 6 is recessed adjacent its lower end, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6, and adjacent the upper end of this recess there is mounted a hinge bracket l2 secured to the frame member 6 by the screws 14.

The hinge bracket l2 projects from the body of the member 6 and at its ,outer end is provided with a perforated ear or lug 16 in which is received the hinge pin 1S. To the bracket l2 there is pivoted the arm rest member 2O which is substantially Vchannelshape throughout its length having its web 22 horizontal and its flanges 2st projecting downwardly and are united at their Outer ends by a transverse flange 26. To the inner end of the web 22 are attached spaced perforated ears or lugs 28 which project oppositely to the flanges 2e and receive the hinge pin 18, thus pivot-ally connecting the arm rest member 2O to tie hinge bracket l2. 75

The flanges 2li are provided with continuous inwardly projecting flanges 30 which form slots or grooves 43l on the inner sides of the flanges 2e, these grooves being closed at their ends and of lesser width adjacent the ends than at the center. Through one of the flanges 24 there is provided an opening 32 leading to one of the slots 31 and through this opening is inserted the pin 3st which engages in an opening in the upper end of the strut 36 and pivotally connects the strut 36 to the arm rest member 2O while at the saine time permitting sliding movement of the rstrut 36 with respect to the arm rest member 20.

rlhe strut 86 is enlarged at its lower end to provide a recess 36, and at its lower end is formed with perforated ears or lugs Ll() to receive a hinge pin e2 mounted in the ears or lugs l formed integral with the brace member l0. Coiled about the hinge pin 42 is a spring e6 having one end engaged in a notch 4S formed in the brace 10 while its other end is inserted in the recess 88 in the strut 36, the ceiling of the spring and its mounting on the pin le being such that the spring i6 tends to force the upper end of the strut 3G outwardly from the back frame member (i. iVhile the spring 4G tends to hold the strut 3G in its outermost position. in order to prevent accidental dropping of the arm rest member 2O the upper end of the strut 36 notched as at 50 so that when the strut is in its outermost position the notch 50 will be engaged by a shoulder 52 of a spring latch attache-d by rivet 56 to the arm rest member 20. ln order that the arm rest may present a pleasing appearance, the seat covering 58 is continued in the recess of the back member 6 and is also applied to the strut 36 and arm rest member Q0, the arm rest member 20, however, being provided With suitable cushioning material 6() between the cover 58 and the arm rest member 20.

When in use, the parts will have the position shown in Fig. 2 in which the strut 3G will be at the outer end of the slot 3l with the latch 54 in engagement with the notch 50. In this position the arm rest member is supported. by its hinge connection to the back member 6 and by its connection with the strut 36. Then it is desired to place the arm rest out of use, the spring latch 5l is lifted by the operator and the strut 36 pushed inwardly, the arm rest member 2O being raised slightly by the strut 3G due to its rotation about the pin 42, until the strut passes beyond the tangential point midway of its path of travel, after which the arm rest Q0 is pressed downwardly causing same to rotate about the pin 18. During this final movement of the arm 2() the strut 36 is forced inwardly by reason of the upper surface of slot 31 contacting with the pin 3l unt-il the strut 36 and arm rest member 20 assume the parallel positions shown in Fig. 6, in which the stru-t 36 is received into the recess of the arm rest member 20 and the arm rest member 20 tits in the recess 7 formed in the back by cushions 3 and separating bead 5, there being little, if any, projection of the arm rest member above the face of the back cushions 3. To place the arm rest in position for use, the arm rest member 2O is raised from the position shown in Fig. (i permitting the spring 46 to rotate the strut 3G away from the back member 6, the strut being grasped by the operator and moved outwardly at the last to insure engagement ot' the latch in the notch 50.

While the arm rest has been shown as applied to a railway car seat designed for two occupants, it will be understood that it may be applied to seats ot other kinds and that more than one arm rest may be. applied to seats of greater length and therefore a larger number of occupants; and it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof within the scope of the claims will occur to persons skilled in the art.

Vhat is claimed is l. In a folding arm rest, a supporting member, an arm rest member hinged to said supporting member, a strut hinged to said supporting member and so arranged as to support the free end of said arm rest member, a spring arranged to force said strut. into supporting position for the arm rest member, and resilient means carried by the arm rest member and arranged to cooperate with said strut when the latter is in arm rest supporting position to retain the latter in said position.

2. In av folding arm rest, a supporting member, an arln rest member hinged to said supporting member, a strut for supporting the free end of said arm rest member hinged to said supporting member and slidably connected to said arm rest member, and resilient means carried by the arm restlnember and so arranged as to cooperate with the strut to retain the latter in supporting position.

3. In a folding arm rest, a supporting member, an arm rest member hinged to said supporting member and having spaced parallel grooves, a strut hinged to said supporting member and slidably mounted in said grooves, a spring arranged to force said strut toward the outer ends of said grooves, and a latch having provision for retaining said strut at the outer ends of said grooves.

4. In a folding arm rest, a supporting member, a flanged arm rest member hinged to said supporting member and having inwardly opening grooves on said flanges, a strut hinged to said supporting member and slidably mounted in said grooves, a spring in cooperative relation with said strut and so arranged as to urge the latter toward the outer ends of said grooves, and a latch carried by the arm rest member adapted to retain said strut at the outer ends of said grooves.

5. A car seat comprising a pedestal, a seat member supported thereby, an upstanding seat back, a met-al brace having an upstanding portion forming part of the back and secured thereto and another portion secured to i' the seat member, a strut pivotally mounted on the upstanding portion of the brace having an upper end movable toward and from the seat back, an arm rest member hinged to the seat back above the path of movement of the strut, and means having provision for detachably securing the upper end of the strut to an under-part of the arm rest member to hold the latter in arm supporting position.

6. A car seat comprising a pedestal, a seat member supported thereby, an upstanding seat back, a metal brace having an upstanding portion forming part of the back and secured thereto and another portion secured to the seat member, a strut pivotally mounted on the upstanding portion of the brace having an upper end movable toward and from the seat back, a spring normally urging the upper end of the strut away from the seat back, an arm rest member hinged to the seat back above the path of movement of the strut, and means having provision for detaohably securing the upper end of the strut to an under-part of the arm rest member to hold l the latter in arm supporting position.

7. A car seat comprising a pedestal, a seat member supported thereby, an upstanding Seat back, a, metal brace having an upstanding portion forming part of the back and secured thereto and another portion secured to the seat member, a strut pivotally mounted on the upstanding portion of the brace having an upper end movable toward and from the seat back, an arm rest member hinged to the seat back above the path of movement of the strut, and a spring latch having provision for detachably securing the upper end of the strut to an under-part of the arm rest member to hold the latter in arm supporting position.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ARTHUR E. LEHMAN. 

